#952 When someone tells you that you have something in your teeth

Natural team players, your big ol’ teeth chomp and ship freshly ground foodpaste down the gully to the rest of your digestive system, who finish the job up in style. But unlike your stomach or large intestine, teeth actually have to look pretty doing it. They’re the frontman of the band, the captain of the ship, the CEO of Swallow It, Inc. Yes, your teeth are on stage for the big scene at the dinner table, while the rest of the brown, slippery organs down below change sets, hoist lighting, and clink triangles in the pit band.

Now, while our teeth are pulling double-duty on the front lines, we sure don’t make their lives much easier. They’re sweating away, trying to get the job done, and we’re talking, smiling, and laughing. On top of that we’re eating popcorn, spinach, and poppy-seed bagels, lodging tiny bits of food up into their fine nooks and crannies, turning their brave attempts to look pretty into a cartoonish poster about improper dental hygiene.

That’s why it’s so great when someone tips you off that there’s something in your teeth. A quick, subtle tap to their own teeth or a whispered aside are enough to let you know your big, bright smile is currently featuring a piece of tomato skin. Of course, you might not get it at first, so expect to say “Did I get it?” and “Is it gone?” a few times before you finally send it on its way. If you’re comfortable, you might even need their physical assistance as pictured.

So I say we owe massive head-bows and hand-kisses to these gracious tipper-offers. And surely we owe them the same courtesy back, too. Let’s all work together to keep the whole world’s teeth free of little tiny bits of jammed up food.

22 thoughts on “#952 When someone tells you that you have something in your teeth”

Teeth picking/nose sorting has some of the strangest social etiquette. The most perplexing has got to be ear wax in the hair. Obviously they’ve gone shoved the ol’ index right in there with so great an enthusiasm that they’ve taken some hair in there too.

Having something in your teeth or being faced with someone else’s something in their teeth in a social setting will tell you all you’ll ever need to know about life.

yup. this is awesome. i like to tell people when their zippers are down, stuff on their teeth, hair’s messed up, bat in the cave (discreetly of course) just cause i would like some one to do that for me but there are times when no one says anything :(

I feel like it’s a reflection of a person’s “niceness” or level of classiness. Not just for food but for everything, especially the real embarrassing stuff – “Your fly is open.” Or the one for women – when the button right between the breasts has popped open. And especially when one does it very quickly and subtely so no one else notices.

And when you have something between your braces (having had my orthodontia removed 6 years ago, thank goodness, but my sister recently had braces, and I heard many complaints about food in braces), it’s always nice for someone to point it out. You can have something REALLY HUGE stuck in your braces and not be able to feel it, because of all the metal tracking through your mouth, and the wire, etc. I’m glad those days are long gone.

Heya i am for the first time here. I came across this board and I find It really useful & it helped me out much. I hope to give something back and help others like you helped me. All the best, Hostessy

You actually make it appear really easy along with
your presentation however I in finding this matter to be really one thing which I feel I’d by
no means understand. It seems too complicated and very huge for
me. I am taking a look ahead to your next publish,
I’ll attempt to get the hang of it!